Rayo and Sevilla share Vallecas and Espanyol take their slice from Elche

MADRID, 19 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla tied (1-1) this Sunday in a twenty-second day of LaLiga Santander in which RCD Espanyol, with a solitary goal from Sergi Darder in discount, pushed the relegation zone away at the cost of sinking more to Elche (0-1).

In Vallecas, the point could have been three for both teams, but adding is not bad in this part of the season. For the people of Madrid, who tied with Lejeune in the 65th minute the goal that Suso had scored after half an hour for the Andalusians, it is worth it to continue being a clear candidate and a team from the European zone.

Meanwhile, Jorge Sampaoli's men maintain their recent regularity of at least scoring points to try to move away from a relegation zone that tightened much more not long ago. Sevilla, who resumed and plays the second leg of the Europa League playoff against PSV next Thursday, found the best version of Suso in the 0-1.

After the goal, the visiting team pressed with occasions and Rayo defended itself, with a rival protest to the referee for the forcefulness of some actions. In the second half the local moment arrived and, after a chance by Camello, Lejeune headed it to 1-1. En-Nesyri and Raúl de Tomás had the victory for their teams.

In the duel that opened the day at the Martínez Valero, a whiplash from Sergi Darder in the 92nd minute gave oxygen to a Espanyol team that has chased away the shadow of relegation. Four points already separate Diego Martínez's men from the burning zone, in which Elche (9) is sinking even more, which is already separated by 13 units from the increasingly distant dream of permanence.

All in a duel in which the goalkeepers, Edgar and Pacheco, were the main protagonists. Javi Puado, with a shot that went to the side of the net, and Martin Braithwaite, with a shot that forced the Elche goalkeeper to act, warned the 'parrots', and Omar Mascarell responded with a header that the Espanyol goalkeeper saved.

Before the intermission, Denis Suárez also tried his luck in a shot taken by Enzo Roco almost on the goal line, before giving way to a more closed second half and in which only Darder, with an impossible shot to the top squad for Edgar, he was able to end the rival resistance to take the three points to Barcelona.